First trembling, then cheering: With a 1-1 (0-1) win against 1. FC Köln, Werder Bremen dragged themselves over the finish line in the race to stay up on the penultimate day of the Bundesliga match and, as a promoted team, can claim another first division plan season.
Coach Ole Werner raised his left fist triumphantly at the final whistle and the relegation. He then gathered his players in a circle and only then left the interior to the cheers of the fans.
The team’s lap of honor followed, and some shirts flew into the audience. After the 1: 1 (0: 1) against 1. FC Köln, the rescue of Werder Bremen is perfect, the relief in the north Germans was great.
In a nervous and often hectic game, Steffen Tigges, who pushed a cross from ex-Bremer Florian Kainz over the line from close range in the 36th minute, gave the visitors the lead. Romano Schmid (73′) equalized from a tight angle.
“We made it incredibly difficult for ourselves, but of course we’re very relieved now,” said Werder captain Marco Friedl. Werder had “always played well in the last few weeks, but made a lot of small, unnecessary mistakes. As a result, the lead in the table had shrunk quite a bit.”
Filling jug after injury not yet a factor
Before the game started, psychological support was required for the hosts. “Avanti” was on the banner in the east stand, which the most loyal Werder fans wanted to motivate with. But this message hardly got through to the hosts at all, at least in the first half. Imprecise passing, sluggish build-up – the guests initially had an easy time with the North Germans.
Especially since Niclas Füllkrug was not a factor in the initial phase either. After a five-week break due to muscular problems in the calf, the game largely passed the international. Strike partner Marvin Ducksch was mostly on his own on the offensive.
It was also Ducksch who put FC goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe to the test with long-range shots in the early stages. But the more compelling actions came from the guests. In the 13th minute, Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka had to save from Kainz on his own and the home side’s goal was repeatedly threatened in the period that followed.
Werner changes twice at the break – Weiser injured down
And since the green-whites could hardly free themselves from the defensive, it soon rumbled among the 41,846 spectators in the sold-out Weser Stadium. Whistles accompanied Bremen into the dressing room at half-time.
Werner reacted to the disastrous first half with two changes and brought on Schmid and Christian Groß. Only three minutes later another swap was due, Mitchell Weiser had to leave the field with groin problems.
But the uncertainty among the hosts continued, the whistles got louder. Coach Werner had little choice but to applaud halfway successful actions by his protégés.
Jens Stage (70th) almost certainly missed the equalizer from close range against the fast-reacting Swabian. Schmid did better three minutes later.
Werder Bremen – 1. FC Cologne: The votes for the game
Ole Werner (Werder Bremen coach): “We’ve achieved our goal for the season and are staying in the league. Some of our players’ heads got tired. Our equalizing goal was not undeserved, but overall we were lucky this time, which we’ve sometimes lacked recently.”
Steffen Baumgart (Coach 1. FC Cologne): “All in all, we’re happy to take this point with us. We played a very good first half, but then Bremen got into the game better. It’s nice that both clubs will see each other again in the Bundesliga next season.”
Werder Bremen – 1. FC Cologne: The data for the game
